Still hoping for a budget standalone R2R DAC from AGD. If they could improve on the R2R11 DAC, remove the PSU+amp and put it in a smaller package for about $250 it would appeal to a whole different side of market. It would be the least expensive R2R DAC you could buy, considering the price of the R2R it does not seem impossible... not sure why it doesnt exist.
Audio GD NFB-11.28 vs R2R 11
- Thread starter crowally
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All's well that ends well
I'd say the R2R-11 IS a budget R2R dac! The amp, if anything, is an added bonus. You won't get it much smaller, even if you remove the amp, and every dac needs a PSU. Consider the R2R-11 an R2R dac with a bonus amp. As far as I know there's nothing cheaper (or remotely better) in this price range, and nothing is stopping you from only using the dac and ignoring the amp (in fact the lack of analogue inputs almost suggest that's a very likely use case).
To avoid changing to fixed mode by mistake. It’s easy to miss the variable position and go directly to fixed. If you are using it as pre amp that would mean going suddenly to full volume.
ProLoL
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True, forgot zeos explained it in his review on the unit.
Look at any USB powered DAC, these do not have PSUs. The amp is not a bonus for me because It sounds bad, it also is the biggest use of the power and takes up the most space (take a look inside) edit: actually its about the same and DAC is bigger vertically. The DA-8 boards, USB controller and small power board could fit in a tiny enclosure with an external power supply input , without any changes that could be nearly half the cost of the R2R11 (if R2R11 is a budget R2R DAC, standalone R2R11 DAC would be super ultra budget R2R DAC!) but I would like to some improvement/refinement made to the DAC because its far from perfect (then again maybe the R2R11 power supply is the issue not the DAC, the option to use a better external supply could solve the issues I was having)
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FredA
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To avoid an accidental speaker blow-up before reading the manual i would guess.
What specific issues were you having? I think if you want a better sounding R2R dac than the R2R-11 you’re going to have to be willing to pay for it. I still don’t know how AGD makes the R2R-11 so cheap. Good luck finding a compact R2R dac that comes close for the same money, let alone less.
sennsay
1000+ Head-Fier
Well, it does exist, just not in the A-gd line - although I take your point if you're talking only A-gd. It's called the Schiit Modi Multibit(Mimby). The Mimby is 1/4 of the size with it's external power supply, is right on your $250 budget and sounds fantastic. I own and use both with my Magni 3, they have different sonic signatures, yet both have that organic naturalness that is a feature of the NOS DACs. The R2R-11 (as a DAC only) has a more syrupy warmth that is quite tube-like in some ways, is punchy and dynamic with a little overall darkness, particularly in the top end. The Mimby is more neutral and transparently 3D (if you're not getting that then it will be from other limiting items in the chain, in my experience), open and every bit as alive and tuneful, yet as I have my system set up it is also more holographic, with alive images suspended in space, clearly individual instruments and voices with their own ambient space ... if the recording is good enough.
Both are excellent, great fun, have terrific communication skills and are fantastically priced. In the US, the R2R is what, $100 more and includes a better USB input, a good headphone amp with loads of power AND is a preamp as well as being nicely made to boot. Astonishing value!
Most of you guys are running from computers via USB, as I am but only with the R2R, as the Mimby is using their (probably) least advanced USB input, but performs better to my ears with the Optical input, it's purer and more refined. The Amanero Combo input on the R2R seems to be damn fine to me, the R2R's optical input seems flatter and less alive, almost 'boring', but I haven't listened through it for some time since earlier on in the run-in period, so maybe it's improved. I love the build quality of the R2R-11, beautifully laid out circuit boards, quality parts and utterly reliable. Nothing not to like here
I should mention here for those that don't know, that the Mimby is a simplified Bifrost Multibit ($600 in the US), so less than half the price, is the same circuit as it's more expensive brother, but is not upgradeable and the power supply is external to keep size down. Given a really clean source, it's an amazing thing!
I may have wandered ever so slightly off topic and in truth, your point regarding the creation of an A-gd R2R stand alone DAC is certainly a valid one and maybe a few requests to King-wa would be worth the while.
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FredA
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I agree Schiit makes competitive dacs. The Modi Uber, which i listen to for a short while, sounds very well for 150$.
One distinction to make with the multibit versus the r2r-11: the latter uses a custom discrete ladder dac, which is almost unique at that price point. Soekris offers an alternative, the Dac1101 for 400 euros, but i don't think it compares.
One distinction to make with the multibit versus the r2r-11: the latter uses a custom discrete ladder dac, which is almost unique at that price point. Soekris offers an alternative, the Dac1101 for 400 euros, but i don't think it compares.
spacequeen7
500+ Head-Fier
I think I can come up with better explanation... lavender honey it gives that sweet ,slightly thick low end and lush mids .. it's allover ,I had to clean the pins since it was always variable
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sennsay
1000+ Head-Fier
I think I can come up with better explanation... lavender honey it gives that sweet ,slightly thick low end and lush mids .. it's allover ,I had to clean the pins since it was always variable
A-gd must have secreted that lavender honey elsewhere in the circuit, as my pins were immaculate.
Pharmaboy
Headphoneus Supremus
I just asked a honey bee what "lavender honey" is. He replied, "What the *** are you talking about?"
spacequeen7
500+ Head-Fier
I prefer forest black honey but lavender honey will do I guess
https://yummybazaar.com/products/ga...Z-71RZ-AqLMvA-8Q68F1CKYLQBJUdkJxoCthAQAvD_BwE
https://yummybazaar.com/products/ga...Z-71RZ-AqLMvA-8Q68F1CKYLQBJUdkJxoCthAQAvD_BwE
You know I had picked up this notion since first looking into the R2R11 that the mimby was a ''hybrid'' and not true R2R but you just made me realise that is completely wrong, I thought it could instead be that discrete resistor ladder R2R are ''better'' but I cant find anything saying that is the case either, what I did find is people praising the mimby for it's unique sound that even some of the most expensive DS DACs cant capture... so you are right then, it does exist after all!Well, it does exist, just not in the A-gd line - although I take your point if you're talking only A-gd. It's called the Schiit Modi Multibit(Mimby). The Mimby is 1/4 of the size with it's external power supply, is right on your $250 budget and sounds fantastic. I own and use both with my Magni 3, they have different sonic signatures, yet both have that organic naturalness that is a feature of the NOS DACs. The R2R-11 (as a DAC only) has a more syrupy warmth that is quite tube-like in some ways, is punchy and dynamic with a little overall darkness, particularly in the top end. The Mimby is more neutral and transparently 3D (if you're not getting that then it will from be other limiting items in the chain, in my experience), open and every bit as alive and tuneful, yet as I have my system set up it is also more holographic, with alive images suspended in space, clearly individual instruments and voices with their own ambient space ... if the recording is good enough.
Both are excellent, great fun, have terrific communication skills and are fantastically priced. In the US, the R2R is what, $100 more and includes a better USB input, a good headphone amp with loads of power AND is a preamp as well as being nicely made to boot. Astonishing value!
Most of you guys are running from computers via USB, as I am but only with the R2R, as the Mimby is using their (probably) least advanced USB input, but performs better to my ears with the Optical input, it's purer and more refined. The Amanero Combo input on the R2R seems to be damn fine to me, the R2R's optical input seems flatter and less alive, almost 'boring', but I haven't listened through it for some time since earlier on in the run-in period, so maybe it's improved. I love the build quality of the R2R-11, beautifully laid out circuit boards, quality parts and utterly reliable. Nothing not to like here
I should mention here for those that don't know, that the Mimby is a simplified Bifrost Multibit ($600 in the US), so less than half the price, is the same circuit as it's more expensive brother, but is not upgradeable and the power supply is external to keep size down. Given a really clean source, it's an amazing thing!
I may have wandered ever so slightly off topic and in truth, your point regarding the creation of an A-gd R2R stand alone DAC is certainly a valid one and maybe a few requests to King-wa would be worth the while.
As most probably already know there is another low cost discrete ladder R2R DAC, the Massdrop Airist Audio R2R DAC. about the same price as R2R11 plus the dreaded massdrop waiting times ... still good too see more R2R options hitting the market and it could be a great DAC, will have to wait for a comparison with the mimby.
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